Speaker Mike Johnson has started laying out potential conditions for extending a new round of American military assistance to Ukraine. This is the strongest indication yet that he intends to push through the House a package that many Republicans oppose and have tried to block.
His terms may involve linking the aid for Kyiv to a measure that would require President Biden to reverse a moratorium on liquefied natural gas exports. This move would be seen as a political victory against the Democratic president’s climate agenda, as well as a win for Mr. Johnson’s home state of Louisiana. He mentioned this in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.
This suggests that the aid package for Ukraine, which has faced resistance from Republicans, could pass Congress soon. While Mr. Johnson has been hesitant to bring it up due to opposition within his party, pressure from the Biden administration and NATO allies has prompted him to find a way forward.
The Senate recently passed a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, adding pressure on Mr. Johnson to address the issue. He mentioned that the aid may be structured as a loan and discussed the possibility of using seized Russian assets to fund the aid.
Mr. Johnson’s aim is to convince skeptical Republicans that the cost of the aid package can be offset. He is also considering advancing sanctions against Russia to accompany the aid.
Mr. Johnson is caught between conflicting opinions within his party regarding aid for Ukraine. While some hard-right Republicans oppose it, mainstream Republicans, Mr. Biden, and Democrats support providing aid to Kyiv.
The reversal of the liquefied natural gas moratorium could be a strong incentive for Republicans, increasing pressure on the White House to reconsider this policy. Mr. Johnson’s efforts to find a politically viable solution to fund Ukraine’s defense against Russian attacks put him in a challenging position.
Despite facing opposition within his party, Mr. Johnson continues to receive pressure from global leaders to act on the Ukraine crisis. President Zelensky of Ukraine has urged quick passage of aid and cutting off Russia’s sources of funding for the war.
There are differing views in the House on how to proceed, but the focus remains on providing aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor.
